( TDM | #1 )

[spellbindmods]

TDMs can be used for anyone interested in the game and/or testing out a new muse.

Test Drive samples are encouraged to be used for your application sample, though they are NOT a requirement.

Feel free to use one prompt, multiple prompts or make up your own!

These threads can be considered game canon upon game opening if you so choose.

Telepathy and magic can be used at any point in time on the TDM, from Prompt A to your wildcard prompt. A specific prompt exists, however, that makes sure all characters have an equal chance to use this mechanic within the TDM. You're encouraged to have characters use telepathy and their magic accidentally or even purposefully on any TDM prompt.

If you aren't set on your character's power yet or want to try out a few, you're still able to use the test drive. Maybe your character is a late bloomer and hasn't fully unlocked their intuitive drive yet. In the case of multiple powers, only prompts that contain the power you choose for your application will count as potential game canon threads.

While only one character can be apped or reserved during a cycle, feel free to post with more than one character if you like! This is for those who are uncertain of their first choice or who would like to try out different characters within the setting.

You blink and that's all it takes. At first the picture doesn't come in clear, like you're waiting for a screen to fully load -- more aptly, it's like you're waiting for a camera to focus so you can find image clarity. Before you happened to rapidly close your eyes and open them, your life was normal...well, normal for you, anyway. Fighting an alien, making a quesadilla, dying. And then that blurry picture suddenly takes over. Depending on your situation and ability to acclimate, you may not fully understand what's happening. A dream, a hallucination. But when you feel the trunk of the trees surrounding you, it's oddly...real. The smell is real. The moisture on the ground is real. The small grass snake you find slithering close to your feet seems very real as well. There are a few other sensations that also begin to feel a little more like reality with every passing second. Like the fact that your intuition is trying to tell you something that doesn't seem plausible. One is more obvious -- you now have a new piece of jewelry inserted snuggly between your collarbones. Maybe that's when you realize it is real. When you realize that there's no delusion here -- you aren't where you once were. But if that's the case...where are you? A ▢ Your character's first experience here will be waking up in a forest. Specifically, located here. It's up to them to traverse and try to figure out where they are, whether they make it to the beach or the main house area. There's also a mysterious trail of soft, felt bags, tied off with thin rope, leading your character to what appears to be a specific destination. These items can be as useful as a granola bar to as seemingly useless as a stapler. Let's just say that some of these mysterious objects are pretty out there. They're free to travel off the beaten path, but that comes with its own perils. Maybe your character has a power that could fend these creatures off...? They aren't exactly happy about sharing their territory.

After an hour or so of trekking through the forest, you finally come upon a break in the tree line that reveals to you an area that appears to be inhabitable. Your first stop is the large mansion that sits in the valley of the opening...if anyone is here or there's a way to get out of here, the house makes the most sense, right? There are a variety of rooms in this mansion, and you're free to explore them. You also spy a lot of crates sitting in the middle of the floor in one of the main rooms...are you curious enough to open them? B ▢ Feel free to have your character explore the mansion (the won't find much but you can take some liberties with the TDM), and they're free to open these mysterious crates. In them they'll find edible fruit and bread, modern clothing in a variety of sizes and portable medical kits. Characters who apply using the TDM are free to carry these objects into the game opening. If you want some specifics, there are a few rooms of note: the game room (containing a working pool table, non-electric pinball machines and a card table with supplied chips and multiple decks), the cellar (filled with a variety of liquor and wines, all aged quite well) and a large room upstairs that contains a glass ceiling and a variety of books in a foreign language. One more thing -- if you happen to go rummaging around, you may find tiny pin cameras. They're minuscule...you may not even notice them unless you look hard enough. At this point you notice that you aren't alone -- there are other people in the same boat as you! When they're around you, that signet you feel in your chest tingles slightly. The sensation isn't unpleasant, but instead like a warm tingle is spreading from their neck outward. You instinctively attempt to talk to your fellow kidnapping victims, and that works just fine...but what are all these voices you hear in your head now? Are you crazier than you thought you were? C ▢ Here's where you can play around with the telepathy mechanic. It's likely your character won't be used to it which can lead to accidental broadcasting. If they happen to tap the signet purposefully or try to pull it out, everyone within a radius of 100 feet will feel a throbbing pain in their head. But your character won't know that, will they? For those more inclined to adventure, there's also another building to investigate. From the outside, it looks very circular and unidentifiable, but upon entering you'll discover that it's a fully-functioning bath house. D ▢ Despite containing steamy water and luxury bathing accommodations, the bathhouse is currently being overrun with crabs. The not-so-smart members of this species have fallen into the extremely hot water, flash boiling themselves after being unable to get back out. Others are a little more intelligent but equally aggressive. Characters: watch your toes and be cautious if you really want to take a much-needed bath! They may also want to check twice before using the restroom, otherwise the experience might be more painful than they're used to.

Exploring the mansion and the bathhouse was fun and all, but aside from the crates they didn't prove to be very useful. When you came into the clearing, you also saw a row of very colorful buildings down near the beach. It makes sense that this area may be more beneficial to any escape plans you have, and taking a dip in the ocean might be nice! It's not until you reach the beach huts that you realize that murky blue color you spied wasn't the ocean. It's outter space. There goes any hopes you had of swimming to safety. E ▢ Time to explore the beach huts! Most of them are abandoned, but your characters will notice they seem to be more livable than the mansion somehow. This is in part due to a little note tacked to the door of each beach hut that reports in scrawling script "Claim your hut, please!" Will your character listen or reject the sinking feeling that they may not be leaving anytime soon? Some huts are also bigger than others, and a few even contain small sinks and softer beds. Grab these while they're available! Even though it turns out the ocean was a lie and you're precariously close to falling off the edge of the world, the area around the huts is decidedly beachy. Sitting on the beach is a lobster trap, though about 10 times the size of any you might have seen before. Inside are more felt sacks, though larger. The weirdest part is that peering through the bars, you notice each has a nametag attached. The reason you know this to be true is because you just spied your own name written on one of the labels. There's also something else underneath it. The descriptor may not mean much to you yet, but it will soon: it's the title of their newfound magic. In each felt sack is a sort of starter kit: a set of dated and drapey plainclothes, a bag of dried boar jerky, a leather flask filled with water and a small tube of sunblock (the writing is in a bizarre pictograph language, but the giant picture of the sun on the tube should explain the purpose). There's also a rolled up paper tied with a string that reads as follows: "Welcome. Things will be explained in due time. For now, understand that you have been blessed with a gift of magic. Look into your brain and feel the instinct for both. Practice makes perfect." F ▢ Here's the official prompt for playing with newfound magic (and telepathy if you want more practice). It's likely characters have already accidentally broadcast their thoughts, utilized the C prompt or used their magic inadvertently, but maybe this new information and small explanation has motivated them to try and see what they're truly capable of. Don't worry. If they're lucky enough to stick around, all will be explained. ...What if you're a wildcard, though? Someone who doesn't play by the rules and follows a different path, no matter what direction the world may be guiding you in? This island is large and contains many areas of interest, from crystal streams to hidden locations. Maybe you want to do something different...so break the mold and explore! G ▢ Wildcard prompt. Go nuts and utilize your own creativity within the setting. This can mean striking out on your own or utilizing a certain location in a different way. The world is your oyster!

GAME NAVIGATION

Comments

[teratias]

a. trail mix

Waver had been unsure of where he was. One second he was in Japan, the next he was fading into a lush forest which seemed far too intense to be real. Those descriptors made no sense, he realized, and so to try and properly understand what was going on, he began to walk. Stoop. Brush his hands out over the wet grass. Pick up stones. Take in everything around him.

What caught his eye, however, was the trail of strange bags. Waver dared to walk over and open one, revealing a single ration of trail mix.

"That's weird," he said to no one in particular, holding the bag in his hand. His eyes moved from the bags to the lesser marked trails, and Waver began to squint in that direction.

"I wonder where that leads to.

b. house hunters

There wasn't anything strange about finding a big mansion in the middle of a forest, as far as Waver was concerned. Estates with big hunting grounds was not a new concept, and as he began to walk around the place, it became clearer to him that this was a continuation on that theme. The crates alone suggested someone was moving in but--

--Well, that made him wonder if he was trespassing and the owners would be home soon. To that end, Waver bypassed the crates themselves for a better look at the other rooms, driven by curiosity. This entire appearing in another location entirely had bypassed initial annoyance and settled into begrudging curiosity into the circumstances.

He moved from room to room, walking around as if he was in a museum rather than properly exploring. The game room got a moment's lingering stare at the pinball machine, the cellar a quick glance as if going in deeper would cause the wine bottles to shatter, and but the library had his full attention.

Walking around the room, his eyes trying to read the titles of the books, he sighed.

"I wonder if anyone would notice if people flipped through some of the pages."

There didn't seem to be any dust on the shelves. Maybe no one would notice.

e. beached

The note was easy to read. But it got a scowl as Waver repeated the words, first in his head, then out loud.

"Claim your hut, please?" he intoned, the curiosity he had being replaced by irritation. "These are meant for long term lodging? And who is supposed to be staying here anyway?!"

There was petulance creeping into his tone, and for the life of him Waver couldn't find himself to care. Weird forest with dangling rations, massive mansion with books in all kinds of languages, and now random beach huts meant to be occupied? It felt too planned, and that had him quite ill at ease.

Ready to crumple up the note and throw it aside, Waver simply threw his hands up in the air and turned, his eyes finally alighting on what should be the ocean.

Should.

"What's--" he managed, before breath left him. The spacescape had finally stunned him into silence.

G. Wildcard

b

[splinten]

Dirk adores reading and it's actually amazing to see a real library. He picks up one of the books in fascination, just feeling over cover and flipping through the pages. He has of course handled physical books before, but there have never been this many fully intact books in his presence before. It's fascinating.

At the remark, he offers the monotone, "Worst that could happen is you're forced to stay in the mansion until you uncurse an enchanted prince."

[teratias]

"So what, you think this place runs on fairy tales?"

Waver's eyes finally leave the bookcase, settling on Dirk. He hadn't realized that there was someone else present, and now he feels foolish for not being aware of his own surroundings.

"The path leading here did seem a little strange."

[splinten]

"It was like Hansel and Gretel with slinkies and granola bars."

A trail of bread crumbs, yet it? But Dirk glances around with level calm.

"At this point, I have no thoughts on how this place works. There is just not enough data to put down any kind of bullshit probability to a hypothesis, even if you were an obnoxious overclocked supercomputer."

[teratias]

There is an internal sigh of relief at the mention of Hansel and Gretel. The thought hadn't occurred to only Waver. Thank something or other.

"The gameroom didn't help any," Waver says, his own tone clipped and unhappy. He knew he should be curious about this situation, but not understanding anything was pushing him to annoyed instead. "I was hoping the library might at least have some kind of underlying theme or themes in it to give a hint about who gathered these books and why."

There isn't a magic way to divine that kind of intent. Logic has to be used instead.

[splinten]

Dirk likes the theory, but it might be hard to tell without a more thorough familiarity with the books in question. Still, it's worth a try.

"Did you notice the surveillance cameras on our way up?"

Dirk sure did. He didn't like them.

E

[despairing_hope]

"It would seem we're all expected for an extended period," Komaeda had been walking around when he saw the troubled Waver. In situations like these it was better to accept it and work with it than fight it. "If you claim one early at least you'll have the option to choose between them."

He tried to smile reassuringly, though what was he reassuring exactly? Still, at least he wasn't alone, it would do well to get to know the other people here.

[teratias]

"Extended period," Waver muttered like it was one of the worst swear words he had in his vocabulary. It was a step up from whining, but only just so.

"And we're on the beach instead of in that massive mansion why, exactly?"

He had no expectation that this young man would have an idea of why that was so. But the thought had simply occurred to Waver and Komaeda was the only person within earshot to hear the question.

[despairing_hope]

"It might be because there will be more people than can fit in the mansion, or the owner would rather us not. These rooms also seem more set up for us, and a bit more private," he glanced over towards the shacks. "I mean, someone might spy on your every move in the mansion."

[teratias]

"They could be doing that here too," Waver countered. "There were cameras in the mansion. Those could easily be here too."

There was an odd calmness to this man that had Waver unnerved. He couldn't articulate why, but it set his teeth on edge. Who was calm during something like this?

"This whole set up is creepy."

[despairing_hope]

"I didn't notice any cameras, but that is true, they very well could be watching us there as well," but watching or not it didn't really bother him. It would be nice to know who was in charge of this game though.

"You are right though, it is all rather creepy. But what can we do about it?"

E

[maipokerface]

"Empty space?"

Mai has already laid claim to another hut herself, for what it's worth anyhow. She has no intention of staying if she didn't have to but she figured poking her head around the other huts couldn't exactly hurt in this situation.

Still, the spacescape is disconcerting, even if she's not quite convinced this is all real just yet.

[teratias]

Waver doesn't respond for a moment. What he's seeing is far too remarkable for him to even register that someone is talking to him. He has to physically shake his head and turn around in order to force himself to respond.

"Not what you expect at a beach."

It is an absolutely pointless correction, but just about the only thing Waver can muster.

[maipokerface]

Mai's more put together about it simply because she's over the weirdness of this place now. Yeah it's odd and if she put more thought into it, it would probably creep her out too. She refuses to though given the way all of this started out.

"Not exactly, no."

It's becoming an opening line of sorts but she's trying to line up the pieces of a puzzle she doesn't imagine she'll solve in the end. It won't be for lack of trying though.

"Did you wake up in the woods?"

[teratias]

"Yeah. I'm starting to think everyone did."

Which sets Waver ill at ease. Multiple people experiencing the same strange transportation and feeling is downright disturbing, moreso than the landscape itself.

"You didn't swing by the mansion before heading out here, did you?"

[maipokerface]

"For a little while. I didn't run into anybody else though."

She paused there before she added, "I heard a few of them but never saw them."

[teratias]

"Yeah. There's more than a few people here."

A couple dozen, perhaps? Waver didn't stop to count, and now that he considers it, he doesn't want to. There's probably bliss to be found in not knowing how many people have gotten screwed over by whoever is responsible for this.

a

[p_mortem]

If he thinks the forest as a dungeon, the most useful thing for Minato would be to hoard whatever items he can carry, be it trail mix or the felt bag it came in. A lot of them have already been scavenged by the time he's gotten to them, so he runs down the path now after Waver, catching some of his words.

"I can take that," he says as soon as he's within earshot, "if you think it's weird." Assuming/hoping Waver meant trail mix is weird, not the fact that there's bags of them hanging around.

[teratias]

"Huh?" Waver looks to the direction of Minato's voice, his face momentarily surprised by the interruption of solitude.

"I didn't mean the trailmix," he clarifies immediately. "I meant the other paths here. The ones not outlined by bags."

[p_mortem]

Oh. Minato stuffs his hand into his pocket before he's seen sadly reaching out for that trail mix that will never be his. He does look down one of the other paths, though, looking exactly the same as the one marked with the bags.

"Paths are paths. They'll lead somewhere," he says, with something of a shrug. "I could come with you." He's got a sword, and even without the bags, he steps forward towards Waver and lets the blade trail behind him, carving out the dirt behind him. Like that, they can follow it back, if they want to backtrack.

[teratias]

Waver's eyes go right to the sword, and part of him just wants to know who walks around with a sword these days? The rest of him reasons that he just came from watching Gilgamesh, King Arthur, and Alexander the Great duke it out and so those who live in a glass house shouldn't be throwing rocks.

"If you're okay with it," he says, stuffing the trail mix into the pocket of his pants. That is staying with him.

e

[sword_of_swords]

"The water here is pretty weird, huh?"

Lloyd asked aloud as he moved up beside Waver to stare. Generally oceans were a bit more blue, yes? Though it never occurred to him that what they were staring at was in fact not an ocean. It was pretty blissful being ignorant on some things.

"It's neat, though."

[teratias]

"It is interesting," Waver agreed, making a conscious choice to try not to be pedantic about the water obviously not being water.

"But it isn't water at all. It's space, the shoreline just--" he stopped, indicating that the beach itself does much the same.

[sword_of_swords]

"Space has got stars--" Lloyd cut himself off, squinting now as if he really did just see the stars. He already saw them several times, but having logically deduced that if they're on land, they are surrounded by water; the fact that they might not be failed to occur.

"This is just like Derris-Kharlan." A fact that was somewhat bitter still to the teen. Though that did put a small bit of hope in his heart that he just might see Kratos again. He looked to Waver and back to the shoreline before settling on Waver at last.

"Find a house you like?"

[teratias]

Waver made a confused face at the name Derris-Kharlan. Person or place, it was unfamiliar, and Waver was beginning to finally wrap his head around the fact that it seemed like he was going to not know many places now. He abhorred that, but he also had little reason to ask a score of questions at every single unfamiliar utterance. At least for the rest of the day.

"Not particularly." He hadn't spent much time looking, admittedly. The act of picking one out seemed like giving in to whoever was in charge of this nonsense, and Waver was nothing if bullheaded about things. "You?